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EAG-154 sketch design with Jupiter IRBM A sketch or preliminary design by BUSHIPS Code 440 (Hull Design) dated September 1956 for a conversion of EAG-154 to test-launch the liquid-fueled Jupiter IRBM. When the Jupiter program was replaced by the solid-fueled Polaris program in December 1956 the ship was laid up until an entirely new and much simpler design could be prepared. Photo No. None Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-437) |
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SS Empire State Mariner Awaiting conversion to USS Observation Island (EAG 154), probably in late 1956 at Norfolk. Photo No. BUSHIPS 158383, NAID 6928903 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives) |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) Underway during builder's trials in the Norfolk, Va., area in a photo dated 28 November 1958. She was to be commissioned on 5 December 1958 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va. Photo No. USN 1038971 Source: Shipscribe |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) Underway during builder's trials in the Norfolk, Va., area in a photo dated 28 November 1958. She was to be commissioned on 5 December 1958 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va. The large triangular structure on top of the bridge is similar in size and shape to the navigation tower forward of the bridge in Compass Island (EAG 153). She has a single test-launch tube for the Polaris missile on the starboard side aft. Photo No. USN 1038972 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) Underway in inland waters on 2 February 1959 with a tug following her. Photo No. USN 1040207 Source: Shipscribe |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) Underway in a photo dated December 1959 when placed in file in what is now NHHC. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. |
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USS Observation Island (AG 154) Photographed at sea on 12 July 1962 by a U.S. Air Force aircraft. She now has a second test-launch tube just astern of the original one which was used for the A-3 Polaris missile. New small antennas have also appeared on the superstructure and on the stern. Photo No. KN-4085 Source: Shipscribe |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) Photographed at sea on 12 July 1962 by a U.S. Air Force aircraft. Photo No. KN-4086 Source: Shipscribe |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) An A-3 Polaris missile leaving its launch tube on board Observation Island showing the launch stowage adapters, "shoes," being blown free. The first A-3 launch from Observation Island was on 17 June 1963, there may have been ejection tests before that date. The closed tube in the foreground was probably used for A-1 and A-2 Polaris testing. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) |
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USS Observation Island (EAG 154) At sea on 21 February 1963 before her first test launch of the A-3 Polaris missile. Photo No. Unknown (U.S. Navy) Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) |
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USS Observation Island (AG 154) At sea circa the late 1960s, probably after conversion to support the POSEIDON missile program. The most visible changes are the addition of a tracking radar just aft of the stack and another on the stern. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-164). |
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USS Observation Island (AG 154) In the Pacific Ocean on 15 July 1971 during her last year of service as a Navy trials ship. The tracking radar behind the stack has been moved further aft and a tall support for another has been installed forward of the mast. Photo No. KN 19682 Source: Shipscribe |
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USS Observation Island (T-AGM 23) Underway probably soon after her initial AGM conversion with the massive COBRA JUDY antenna on deck aft. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) |
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USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23) At the Pearl Harbor Naval Station circa September 1992 after a subsequent AGM modification in which a large dish antenna was added aft of the stack and a large deckhouse was added forward of the bridge. Photo No. DN-SC-92-04471 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330) |
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USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23) Underway on 6 July 2006. She was being operated by MSC for the US Air Force Technical Applications Center at Patrick Air Force Base, FL. Photo No. 060706-N-0000X-001 Source: NavSource from MSC website (gone) and Wikipedia from www.navy.mil (gone) |
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USNS Howard O Lorenzen (T-AGM 25) The ship built to replace Observation Island at Cape Canaveral on 27 January 2013 with her new generation COBRA KING radar. The ship and its radar were declared operational in August 2014, several months after Observation Island was inactivated for disposal. Photo No. None Source: Wikipedia, photo by Robb from Canada |
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